Bed.



LEWIS o. HUNTER, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BED.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Ma-1x13, 1917.,

Application filed December 13, 1915. Serial No. 66,478.

To all whom it may concern:

lle it known that 1, LEWIS C. HUNTER, a citizen of the llnited States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of lvlichiganI` have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beds, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to disappearing beds, and more particularly to that type of foldable bed disclosed by my pending application June 21', 1915, Serial No. 35,353. `In this application there is shown a foldable bed that can be easily and quickly swung into and out of a closet, alcove or recess or a suitable enclosure, the bed depending upon a novel pivotal means by which a bed of greater width than a wall opening may be shifted in and out of the opening. The application also includes novel means for preventing sudden movement of a foldable bed frame and my present invention not only provides additional means for controlling the folding of a bed frame, but provides a -novel track and truck which permits of a foldable bed being easily moved in and out'of a closet or wallrecess.

' Such structural devices entering into the present invention will be hereinafter re- .ferred to, and rf. ference will now be had to the drawings, wherein Figure ,1 is a side elevation of my improved bed in a' lowered and active position, and with the central portionA of the bed roken away; f f

Fig. 2 is a plan of the bed in a folded position, and partly within a closet or wall recess;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan of a portion of a track and truck, showing how the truck may be swungfwhereby the bed structurev may be placed in a desired position;

Fig. 4; is a fragmentary rear elevation 0f i the bed structure, showing thetrack `and truck in cross section; Fig. 5 is. an enlan'ged longitudinal -sectional view of a portion of the -bed strucv ture, showing by dot and'dash lines the positions which the foldable bed frame assumes when raisedor lowered, and Fig. 6I is anelevation of a detached guide member adapted to form part of the bed structure. l

The bed Vstructure comprises a head prece having posts land a bottom rail 2comiectedv to the lower ends of said posts by threeway connections The posts 1 are provided with T fittings -l and connected to said fittings are forwardly projecting arms 6C G provided with fittings 8. Connected to the three-way connections 3 are forwardly projecting arms 5 provided with fittings 7. The fittings 7 and 8 support legs i), and at the lower ends of the legs are bearings l() 6b for a transverse axle 11. On the axle 1l, adjacent the legs, are wheels 12 and these wheels are adapted to cooperate with a truck on the head piece in facilitating the movement of the bed structure when folded. 7(

The bottom rail 2, intermediate the ends thereof, has a rearwardly projecting arm 18 and a. depending head 14. Mounted in the head 14 is an axle 15 having the ends thereof provided with rollersy or wheels 16 75 and these rollers or wheels are adapted to travel 1n a box or channel track 17 having both ends thereof closed by a wall to limit the movement of the truck relative to said,y track. The top ofthe box track has a lon-,280.

can be easily placed therein. The box track has apertured ears or lugs 20 Iwhereby it may be connected to the floor of a closet or inclosure 21 adapted to house they bed structure, when folded.

`The fittings 8 are provided with pivot 90 members 22 for side rails 23 lof the bed structure and said rails have the inner 0r rear ends thereof connected by a transverse angle bar 24. At the juncture of said side rails with the angle bar 24 are corner pieces 95 or angle plates 25 connected'by a trans-I verse rod 26 and connecting this rod to the rod 1l are a plurality of coiled retractile springs 27.

On: the confronting sides of the' posts 1 100 I are guide members 28 having slots 29 with the upper ends of the slots terminating in seats 80. VExtending' into the slots 29, of the yguide members 28, are the stepped spindles) or ends 81 of a weight 32, which may be in 105 vthe `form of a tube or cylinder filled with concrete or other Vmaterial to lend weight to the same. The weight cnstitutes a counterbalanced member brought into action at pre-.t4

determinedtimes to' prevent a sudden move-` 110 ment of thebed structure, when being-raised or lowered, yet facilitates such operation.

' 37 and the side rails 23 are connected by a transverse angle bar 38 coperating with the angle bar 24 in supporting a conventional form of bed springv39.

The function or purpose of the'counterbalance member 32 is best understood by reference to Fig. 5, showing the bed struc-` ture in a lowered position with the ends or spindles 31 of the counterbalance member resting uponthe seats 30 of the guide members 28, thus relieving the pivoted side rails 23 of the weight of the counterbalance member. Assuming that the bed lstructure is to4 be raised to an inactive position, a partialelevationof the foot end of the bed structure 'removes the ends of the counterbalance member from the seats 30 of the guide mem,-

bers, and as' the bed structure assumes an angle approximately that indicated at 3A, the counterbalance member is brought into action and thus facilitates elevation of the bed structure. This, is accomplished by the counterbal'ance being supported by the hook members .34 and as the counterbalance shifts the bed structure 'upwardly to an angle approximately that-indicated by B, the ends of the spindles 31 ofithe-counterbalance member have reached the "lower ends of the Slots 29 of the guide members 28 to rest therein, WhileL the springs 27 continue the movement ofthe bed structure to that of a folded or inactive. position. y

As the bed structure has a tendency to open or lowerafter assuming a certain angle, the count'erbalancemember 32 retards a sudden action by reason of the cam eX- tensions 35 picking up and raising the vcoun-` vterbalance member 32 vas the bed structure is pi .led down toa horizontal position. In raising or lowering the bed structure, it is apparent that the counterbalance member is brought into action at predetermined and be curved to place the bed structure at aV i desired position in or out of the closet. IVhen out of the closet the central truck can be swung at an angle to the box track, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the bedl may be placed as desired relative to the opening of the closet or the wall recess in which the bed is housed. In using the term weight or counterbalance member, I mean such device as`may beregulated to properly balance the pivoted bed structure, also such means as may be automatically moved into and out of action at predetermined times to facilitate raising and lowering the pivoted structure. lVhat I claim is 1. A foldable bed comprising a head piece,

a movable counterbalance member supported thereby, and a bed structurepivoted relative to said head piece and adapted to pick up said counter-balance member after initial raising movementV of said structure and dis-- charge said counter-balance member before completing the 1 sing movement of said structure.

2. A foldable bed comprising a head piece, a movable elevated member supported thereby and adapted to descend by gravityand a bed structure pivoted relative to said head piece and adapted when partially elevated to release said member whereby said member controls the further movement of said'.

bed structure.

3. The combination of a bed structure capable of being swung, from ahorizontal position to a vertical position,'springs facilitating an initial and final movement of said bed structure and a` counterbalance member inactive during an initial and nal movement of said bed structure and adapted to be brought into action during the interim `of such movements.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Lewis cA HUNTER. Witnesses KARL H. BUTLER,v ANNA M. Donn. 

